Busy, Busy Bee!

Man, the end of summer sure is busy! I have been go, go, go recently and I haven't had much time to do much of anything! We've had birthday parties galore, mixed in with bridal showers and weddings to attend. We've gone on a trip to Michigan for the best cheeseburger you will EVER eat, wine, and gambling at the casino AND SeptemberFest. SeptemberFest is Schaumburg's annual fest on Labor Day weekend and it is HUGE! We go every year for the craft fair and to play Bingo :)

Currently, I am notsopatiently waiting to O and having mini freakouts that the meds working last cycle was just a fluke. Irrational? Maybe. I thought I was going to O over the weekend or at least get some positive OPKs, but nada. Oh well. I guess time will tell, right?

**I will gladly eat crow if/when I actually ovulate this cycle!**

Whose Chart is This?!

Really, I would like to know! Is it really possible that this is my chart? But, it doesn't have tons of see-saw temps. Or tons of negative OPK results. Or random bouts of watery CM.

Instead, it has normal temps. And positive OPKs. AND SOLID CROSSHAIRS. Yep, that positive OPK last week was the real thing! I actually ovulated! And on CD15, too!

I am officially in my first sort-of real 2WW. I say sort-of because we had to TTA this month, so I am not waiting to test, just waiting for AF to show so we can get this show on the road!

2 Firsts, 1 Day

So, it's been 2 weeks since I've been on the meds and I really think they are working! Thank god, because I figured that if I had to deal with the nausea, vomitting, and diarrhea, something had to happen, right? Any hoot, something told me to check my CM this morning before work (I usually check during the day and in the evening when I get home from work), so I did. Lo and behold, I actually had EWCM! I have NEVER seen any before-the most fertile type I have gotten was watery.





Although I was really excited, there was a little part of me that didn't want to believe that my body could actually be doing what it was supposed to be doing. I wasn't going to do OPKs this cycle, because we are TTA this cycle, but it was killing me to think that I could actually be ovulating and I was too impatient to just wait and see what my temps looked like in a few days. I figured a trip to Walgreen's on my lunch break was in order. Now, I use internet cheapie OPKs from Amazon, so I was SHOCKED at how expensive a box of OPKs were! I do have to admit that I didn't want to have to stare, squint, etc. to decipher the test, so I sprung for the digital ones, but still. $35 for 7 tests?! Ouch.

I could not believe it! My first positive OPK!!I think my body is actually working again. I know that it doesn't necessarily mean that I will ovulate, but it's a start, right?

P.S. No, I did not take a picture of the actual OPK. Google Images is my friend :)

I'm Baaaaack!

I know, I know. I have been horrible at updating this blog lately. Obviously there isn't anything to report on the TTC front. I had another hella long cycle - this one ending at 98 days! Of course, it had to be ended with Provera again :(



BUT, I do have some good news on that front. I finally saw a new endocrinologist regarding my hypothyroidism and PCOS. I decided to go back to seeing an endocrinologist after having our family doctor treat my hypothyroidism and my ob/gyn seemingly not want to treat my PCOS. I really wanted to treat my condition rather than just try to get pregnant because, really what good does that do? Why not just treat the underlying problem and in turn get pregnant? Seems like a plan to me!



I went to the appointment armed with all of my test results from the last year and my charts that show I do not ovulate. I was prepared to state my case for wanting to be prescribed metformin because I was sure that I was, in fact, insulin resistant. Turns out, I didn't need any of it. The doctor asked me a ton of questions about my symptoms and how I felt. I was almost instantly relaxed because I knew where he was heading. He took one look at the back of my neck, noticed a skin tag, and instantly diagnosed me with IR (well, coupled with the fact that I am overweight, have all of my weight/fat in my abdomen, and have had difficulty losing weight).



I knew he was going to prescribe metformin and maybe tweak my thyroid meds. Since my main priority is to get pregnant, he wants to be aggressive in getting my IR under control. Usually he would give me metformin and increase the dose slowly to help with the side effects. Instead, he prescribed both metformin AND actos (both insuin sensitizing drugs). I started at 850 mg of the metformin and a week later, increased to 1700 mg (just today). I am following a lower GI diet (whole graines, no white foods, more protein and tons of fruits and veggies) and am aiming to exercise 3 times per week. This should help to decrease the side effects of the metformin and help me to lost weight.

We do have to TTA until I get a natural period (because of the Actos), but the doc seemed to think that it will only be a month or so until AF shows again. I am still charting because I want to see if the meds help me to ovulate, but I won't be to bothering with OPKs until we can TTC again. I really hope that this works. I really do not want to have to go on Clomid to help me ovulate. The doc is really confident that I won't have to, so I am trying to be optimistic. I'll be honest and say that I will be really disappointed if this doesn't work. I am on CD7 right now and am to call the doc if I don't get AF by mid-Sept.

On a better note, Dave finally got a new job!! We found out on my birthday (awesome b-day present, huh?!)! He will be working as a fire alarm inspector for a large alarm company. He won't be making as much as he did at his old job, he'll be back to the level he was in no time! This means that we can move forward with an RE if need be!

Hope everyone is having a great summer! I can't lie - I can't wait for fall. It has been in the 90s almost every day and I'm sick of it!

Well, I WAS optimistic.....

After last cycle, I really thought that this cycle would be different. That maybe the Provera would jump-start my period AND kick my ovaries in gear. Alas, it wasn't meant to be :(

It is currently CD55. Fertility Friend gave my cross-hairs (dotted, not solid) for CD30, but I don't believe it. Although, our timing would have been perfect, LOL. I am going to switch to temping vaginally next cycle and keep up with the green tea, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

This is starting to get depressing and I know it is all my fault. I really think that if I could just lose some weight, my periods would get back to normal and hopefully ovulate again. I am at the heaviest I have ever been and have begun to hate my body. I was so excited to buy all new clothes and then realized that I was buying them in a bigger size and I got even more depressed.

But it is very difficult, especially when the diets that used to work don't anymore. I don't know what to do. I've tried Atkins (which worked very well for me in the past) and nada. I tried Weight Watchers and just got so depressed after weighing in and barely losing a pound all week, when the weight was melting off everyone else. I thought about going on Nutrisystem, but really don't have the $$ to spend.

So, I'm at a loss as to what to do now. I am supposed to go to the doc at the end of next month if I am not pregnant, so I'll most likely be looking for, at the very least, an endocrinologist. I'm hoping to find a PCOS-friendly doc that will help in treating the PCOS (which the weight gain/difficulty to lose is a part of).

Any PCOS-ers out there have any ideas? Did Metformin help?

Finally, Lord Stanley is home where he belongs!

So, I have been MIA for awhile and it has everything to do with this:

After 49 looong years, the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup! What makes it even more special is to see the fast turnaround from being one of the worst teams in the league to champions. Five years ago, you couldn't pay people to go see a Hawks game. Sports talk radio didn't even take calls from people wanting to discuss hockey. Now, you can't go anywhere without seeing someone in Hawks gear!

Welcome home, Stanley. Welcome to Hawkeytown!

I'm still here!

I know it has been awhile since I last posted, but I just didn't have anything really to post! I still don't actually! I just wanted to let y'all know that I'm still here :)

We've been very busy going out of town for Memorial Day (which I may post about, but I forgot my camera, so I have no pictures), to rooting on the Hawks in the Stanley Cup Finals (1 MORE WIN!!) and work. Since we've been back from our long weekend out of town, our plans have pretty much revolved around where we were watching the game and spending the least amount of time at home as possible! Seriously, we just want to take advantage of the gorgeous weather we've been having and that means not sitting in the house.

Now that I have sufficiently bored y'all to tears, I'm done :)

I promise to have something more interesting to write about next time!

99 Things

I copied this from some other blogs I follow..I've done everything in bold below. Now you can copy this on to your own blog & bold the things you’ve done!


1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightening storm
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Got a tattoo
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee



What about you?

Weekend Recap

This weekend was the first in a while that we didn't have much planned. The only thing I had planned was our Chicagoland GTG (more on that to come later!). Sometimes, these are the best weekends. We could do anything we wanted; we didn't have any graduations or birthday parties to go, nothing.

As pretty much everyone in Chicago, all focus was on the Hawks on Friday. Coming home to the "Madhouse on Madison" after taking the first two games in San Jose was HUGE, considering how pedestrian we had been playing at the United Center. Needless to say, I was sooooo glad that we didn't have to have another 9 pm puck drop! We went by Dave's aunt and uncle to have pizza and watch the game and had a blast watching Dustin Byfuglien win it for us in OT!!

Saturday was a lazy morning, as we didn't wake up until about 11:15! I ended up having to take a Benadryl at 1 am because I was itching like crazy from the cats at Dave's aunts house. It was pretty funny, looking back, at my big, fat FAIL at temping that morning, but oh well! I seriously fell back asleep as soon as I put the therm in my mouth and woke up to find it on the floor, next to my bed. After lunch with my parents and brother, we headed to the city to hang out at Dave's cousin's place. His cousin's wife and I have become BFFs, so it is an awesome situation all around. Usually, the guys hang out and drink, talk sports, or play Risk and the girls hang out upstairs with their adorable son, Nathan.

Sunday was HOT AS HELL! Almost 90 degrees! It was quite sticky and yucky considering I couldn't go in a pool. I only like it really hot out when there is a pool or beach nearby that I can go in. Otherwise, you can take it! We had our TTGP Chicagoland GTG at Maggiano's in the Streets of Woodfield. Thanks Missy (mchupie) for organizing it! It was so great to really put a face to the screennames I've been chatting with. And it was awesome to know that these women know what I've been going through on our TTC journey because they are on their own TTC journey. Some have been trying longer than others, and some have finally gotten their BFP's, but they know the want to have a child and the sometimes difficult path you have to go on to get there. I had so much fun!

And of course, the biggest part of this weekend! The Blackhawks are now 4 wins away from hoisting the Stanley Cup. Game 4 was this afternoon, and I did make sure to be home in time for the game! It was an awesome, intense game that we, of course, won! Dustin Byfuglien strikes again to score the winning goal!

After the way we played in the first round of the playoffs, I really did not think we would sweep the number 1 seed, but we did! And dare I say, it seems we are on a roll and are getting hot at the right time. We just have to wait to see who we will play in the STANLEY CUP FINALS! I can now say that! I didn't want to jinx us so I never said it out loud, but now I can shout it loud!!

How was your weekend? What did you do to enjoy the beautiful weather?

Thankful Thursday!

I'm getting an early start to today's Thankful Thursday post. I've been slacking in posting regularly lately, but we've been busy with b-day parties, graduations, hockey games, etc. Not a whole lot is going on on the TTC front. I am currently at CD 23 with no ovulation yet. My body did fake me out pretty good by giving me fertile CM for 5 days and I didn't O. But, it's still early!

Last week, I was pretty blah and I seem to have gotten over the blahs! I went and got a haircut and got my eyebrows waxed, painted my nails - looking like a new woman!

So, today I am thankful for:

1. The Chicagoland GTG on Sunday. I know I've been looking forward to it for awhile and I am excited!
2. Spring hockey!! The Blackhawks disposed of those damn Canucks in 6 games and now we are shark fishing in San Jose! We lead the series 2-0 and just got back to Chicago for Games 3 and 4. Hopefully we can close it out on Sunday! Dare I say, only 6 more wins until we hoist the Stanley Cup!!
3. Summer-like weather! It is going to be absolutely beautiful the next several days here in Chicago and I am going to make sure I enjoy it!
4. A weekend without (almost) no plans! Seriously, we have been ruuning around like crazy and it's so nice to have a weekend to relax! Although, I just found out about an open casting call on Saturday that I think I want to go to, so there goes my relaxing Saturday!
5. A new haircut. I mentioned above that it has helped me to get over the blahs that I had last week. I am trying to grow my hair long, after cutting it right after my wedding (i so regret that!), and i hadn't gotten my hair cut since September. Needless to say, it needed it badly.

What are you thankful for today?

New Friend Friday!

TGIF!

I saw this idea from another blog that I follow and thought it would be a great way to find new blogs and hopefully make some new e-friends!

The Girl Creative is sponsoring New Friends Friday where you can check out a ton of new blogs and maybe gain some more followers. The rules are simple, just click on the badge, link your blog and start visiting and commenting on other blogs.

Happy Reading!

Thankful Thursday

I soooooo need this today! I've been in a funk all week and I can't shake it! All I've been doing is coming straight home and lounging on the couch all night. I think I am just stressed about work, trying to lose weight, etc. Needless to say, I think it did me a world of good to sit back and reflect.

1. Today, I am thankful for the Watch Instantly option on Netflix that lets me stream movies, TV shows from my Wii. Seriously, I've been able to catch up a ton of movies that have been sitting in my queue!
2. Today, I am thankful for the Blackhawks who disposed of the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. We're going fishin' in San Jose, baby!
3. Today, I am thankful for finally scheduling an appointment for a hair cut. It's been since SEPTEMBER, y'all!
4. I am thankful that I have a GTG to look forward to next weekend. Ladies from the Chicagoland area (and even Wisconsin) that are on the TTGP board on thebump.com are getting together next weekend and I'm so excited to meet them all!
5. Today, I am thankful for Dave. I am always thankful for him and our relationship, but this week especially.

What are you thankful for this week?

Adventures of Peeing in a Cup

Ahhhh, the joys of OPKs.



Using OPKs can be a logistical nightmare! Seriously, you have to pee in a cup. Then, dip the stick in your urine for 3 seconds (but, don't dip it over the MAX line!), and then lay flat. Results should appear in 5 minutes. Easy enough, right?! Well, sure. When you are in the privacy of your own bathroom and not in the bathroom at work! I was just going to test when I got home (providing I had some fertile CM), but I didn't want to miss my surge. So, I decided to test twice daily when I am seeing watery CM (hopefully, I will see EWCM this cycle though!). Since I have yet to win the lotto, this means I will have to test while at work.



Armed with my cute, little cosmetic case that was just the right size for a dixie cup and OPK, I set off for the bathroom. It's a typical bathroom - 4 stalls, although no handicap stall. I head straight for the farthest stall so no one can tell how long I'll be in the stall. I get in and realize, how the hell am I going to do this?!. There isn't anywhere for me to put my little cup o' pee after I do my thang. My cosmetic bag is not heavy enough to keep the little shelf thingy down. I can't exactly place the urine-filled cup on the floor where someone can see it under the stall. The back of the toilet seat was the only place to put it. Crisis #1 averted.

So, I settle in to do my business. At this point, I've had to pee for an hour, but had a meeting with my boss, plus a training session. And when I say that I had to pee, I had to pee! I'm like a camel, and usually can go all day and only pee twice. So, this was not a time to get bladder shy! But, bladder shy I got! I sat there, with my Dixie cup in hand, for about 5 minutes before giving up. Of course, just as I was stuffing my Dixie cup back into my cosmetic case, I got the urge again! Crisis #2 averted.

And after all that, the OPK was negative.

A Belated Mother's Day Post

First off, I want to say Happy Mother's Day to all the mommies out there, whether you are an experienced mom, a first-time mom, or a mommy-to-be :)

Dave and I had a busy day yesterday, celebrating with my mom first for lunch and then going by his mom's afterwards. We actually stuffed our faces for lunch, so we didn't eat with his family, but we still spent some quality-time playing board games! For the record, I'm not a huge fan of board games, especially with ultra-competitive people. To me, playing games should be fun, not a time to bitch, moan, be a sore loser, etc. ::cough, BIL, cough::

I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't at all feeling down about yesterday. Obviously, Mother's Day is a painful reminder that I am not a mommy. Especially when someone wishes you a Happy Mother's Day. Um...err....this isn't Thanksgiving where you wish anybody and everybody Happy Thanksgiving. This is Mother's Day, where mothers are celebrated. Wishing someone a Happy Mother's Day who isn't a mother, but yearns to be, is a slap.in.the.face. At least that is what it feels like. And I know that it wasn't intentional, but it's hard to not at least get a little upset. I just wish that people actually thought about what they were going to say before spewing it into the universe.

And I know. We just started trying and there are a ton of people that have been trying for far longer than we have been, but I've been ready for almost a year already. And to be honest, I wasn't the best at remembering to take my BCP, so it feels like we have been trying for a LOT longer than we have.

And with that I'm going to stop ranting and /vent. I've given myself permission to throw a mini pity party and I am done now :)

Hopefully next Mother's Day will be MUCH better!

Thankful Thursday

I've decided to implement Thankful Thursdays! I've seen this done on various other blogs and I LOVE the idea. There are WAY too many things that I take for granted and I know I do my share of bitching and moaning about stupid, inane things. So, every Thursday I will be taking a moment to reflect and I will name 5 things that I am thankful for. Feel free to participate as well!

1. I think it goes without saying that I am thankful for Dave. His ability to make me laught or cheer me up when I've had a bad day, or even if I'm just in a blah mood, is one of the things I love most about him.
2. I am thankful for the thunderstorms that should be rolling in overnight tonight. I LOVE thunderstorms, especially in the spring/summer. Oh, and it is a free car wash!
3. I am thankful that my cousin's little boy's surgery went very well and hope he was a speedy recovery! Poor little guy :(
4. I am thankful for being able to work from home one day a week.
5. I am thankful for the Blackhawks, who lead the Canucks 2-1 in the second round of the playoffs. Let's bring it back to the UC being up 3-1, boys!

What are you thankful for this Thursday?

A Little About Me....

While perusing other blogs, I found this survey and thought, "What the heck!"

I'll divulge my deepest and darkest secrets. Well as deep and dark as which DVD is in our DVD player at the moment and what kind of car I drive can be!

I hope you make it all the way to the end - it's kind of long :)

What kind of car do you drive? Toyota Corolla and yes, I will buy another Toyota when this one goes kaput!

Have you ever had a garage sale? Not me personally, but when I was younger, we had, like 3.

What color is your iPod? I have an iTouch, so it is black and silver. Looks just like an iPhone.

What kind of dog do you have? None.

What's for dinner tonight? Not sure. We are trying to decide that now!

What is the last drink you drank? Diet Coke

Last time you were sick? A couple of weeks ago. Seriously, it seems like I only get sick when it's nice out!

How long is your hair? Not long enough! I am trying to grow my hair out. Right now it is maybe 3 inches past my shoulders?

Are you happy right now? Yep! And I will be even happier if the Hawks win tonight :)

What did you say last? Um, what do you want for dinner, lol

Who came over last? My brother so he can steal my inhaler, ahaha

Do you drink beer? Very rarely. I usually drink vodka. Tonight, I'm going to have a margarita!

Have your brothers or sisters ever told you that you were adopted? Nope

What is your favorite key chain on your keys? Probably my Coach keychain :)

What is in your pocket? Nada, don't have pockets in my yoga pants

Who is the last person you had a phone conversation with? I don't really remember, but probably a client at work

What DVD is in your DVD player? Last House on The Left - the original. I like horror movies :)

What's something fun you did today? Nothing yet, but we're about to go watch the Hawks game!!

What do you think of when you hear the word "meow"? A cat (Randomness)

What are you listening to right now? A Target commercial

What have you had to drink so far today? Diet Coke

When is your birthday? July 20

Where did you buy the shirt you're wearing now? I think Spencers? Because I am lame-o!

Is there anything hanging from your rear view mirror? Nope

How many states in the U.S. have you been to? 9

What are you going to do after this? Figure out dinner and then go out!

What is something you need to go shopping for? What DON'T I need to go shopping for?! Groceries, memory card for my phone, spring candles, and a ton of other stuff!

Do you like pickles? LOVE them. I could seriously eat a jar/day!

How about olives? Only black olives

What is your favorite kind of gum? Spearmint

Do you have any tan lines? Kind of. I still have a faint line from last summer!

Do you remember the name of your kindergarten teacher? Nope! But I do remember my brother's. Weird.

Who was the last person to call you baby? Probably Dave, although he doesn't usually call me baby!

Has anyone ever sang to you? Dave. He loves karaoke!

Has anyone ever given you roses? Dave, for Valentine's Day 2009. It's been a loooooong time!

If you were abandoned in the wilderness, would you survive? Prob not!

What is your favorite color? Pink

What color are your eyes? Brown

What is a compliment you receive way too often? "You look like you lost weight!" Yeah, thanks for trying to be nice. You know I look like an even bigger BUTTERBALL than before. Grr!

How tall are you? 5'4

Who was the last person to say they loved you and when? Dave, when I got home from work

Do you like your parents? Yep!

Why did your last relationship end? Dude, that was like 13 years ago!

Who was the last person you said you loved on the phone? Again, Dave!

Which do you prefer, to eat or sleep? Depends. Right now, I would say eat b/c I am starving!

Do you look more like your mom or your dad? Mom. I chopped my hair off after my wedding and my BIL called me by my mom's name!

How long does it take you to shower? If it is when I first wake up, about 15-20 minutes. I just can't get moving in the morning! But if I shower in the afternoon or at night, like 10 minutes

Can you do splits? Um, I could NEVER do the splits. Just not flexible that way

Can you use the grill? Yep

What movie do you want to see? Sex and The City 2! I can't wait!!!!

What did you on New Years Eve 2007? I think that was the year that we did nothing b/c we had a wedding the night before? I could be wrong, but I can't remember!

Was your mom a cheerleader? I have no idea - I've never asked

What is the last letter of your middle name? N

How many hours of sleep did you get last night? Not nearly enough! About 6.5

Do you wear your seatbelt in the car? Almost always

Are you scared of flying? Nope, but Dave is

What do you sleep in? Usually yoga type pants and a tank top

Do you have any tatoos? One, but I want another!

Have you ever been to Los Angeles? Driven through it on a vacay to Disney

What jewelry do you wear all the time? My wedding and engagement rings

What is your favorite song at the moment? Haven't Met You Yet by Michael Buble!

What song do you HATE? That DAMN filet o' fish song!!!

Do you like chocolate? Yes, but usually only when AF is here, lol

Are you easy to get along with? I like to think so

Any up coming events you're excited about? When we FINALLY go to Redamak's for the first time this year!



Dear Reader: Feel free to copy and paste this survey into your blog so I can learn a little bit more about you, too! Until next time...

What's up, Doc?

Or should I say nurse? In all reality, nurses probably know more than doctors.

But I'm getting off point...

Since I was diagnosed with PCOS last summer when we weren't trying to conceive, I was being treated for it with hormonal birth control. When we decided to ditch The Pill, I wanted to take one cycle to see if I would ovulate. And so began temping and charting. And charted and temped, I did. For what seemed like f-o-r-e-v-e-r! Fertility Friend faked me out multiple times by giving, moving, and taking away cross-hairs. I was about 17dpo when I called my doc (or rather, the physician's assistant that I see) about starting Provera to end the cycle. I'm still not even sure that I did ovulate last cycle and apparently, neither was FF, hence the dotted and not solid crosshairs.



When I called about the Provera, I told the office that I was TTC and that I had been having difficulty in losing weight. (Losing weight is said to be the best thing for women with PCOS and that losing some poundage can jumpstart ovulation.) And so I inquired about Metformin. I have read so many things about metformin and it really seemed worth a shot. It helps women lost weight and can help you ovulate. I really wanted to at least try it before moving to Clomid, which is a serious drug. My MIL took it for a week and had quintuplets!

They were very resistant to it, but agreed to test my insulin. I called for the results today and was told they were normal. The first nurse I talked to was kind of rude and just said they were normal (74, whatever that means!). I was bummed. I really wanted a plan and waiting a year when I really don't think I ovulate seeemed like torture! So, I decided to move on to an RE. Until I received a follow-up call from a different nurse in the office who told me that even though the blood test was normal, to schedule an appointment with a physician if I am not pregnant in 2-3 months.

FINALLY! It seems like we have a plan! Hopefully this plan won't include putting me on Clomid right away. And I'm excited that it will be with a physician. I really like the PA - I've seen her for my annual paps and am comfortable with her. I just don't think she is the best person to talk about treating PCOS and getting pregnant.

Here's hoping that I won't NEED to schedule an appointment to get knocked up. It would be awesome if I had to schedule an appointment because I WAS knocked up :)

Wishing the Time Away...

This week, while chatting with some very lovely ladies from thebump.com, someone brought up that it seems as if us ladies who are TTC are always wishing the time away. And it’s true. There is always that waiting game. Waiting for AF to end. Waiting to “O”. The two week wait. Waiting to POAS (pee on a stick for those TTC newbies). Waiting for AF to come so you can get on with the next cycle. I am so guilty of this!

Take right now for example. I mentioned in my last post that we are patiently waiting for AF to end to get cycle #2 started. Soon after, I see myself yearning for the days of fertile CM, positive OPKs and rising temps. After that it is a whole ‘nother waiting game, depending on what your temps are. In my defense, I am ALWAYS like this. Always waiting for Thursdays, when I can work from home, then waiting for the weekend, waiting for something exciting planned, waiting for vacay, waiting for the holidays. You get the point.

One day, I am going to look back at these times and wish that I didn’t wish the time away. When we are finally blessed with a child, there will be times we miss our old life. Life that doesn’t include baby-sitters, daycare drop-offs and pick-ups, weekends spent chauffeuring the kiddos around to baseball games and dance lessons, etc.

I’ve come to realize that now is truly a time to cherish on our lives. We are comfortable in our skins, secure in our marriage while still be newlyweds, our only responsibilities are to each other (and of course, work, paying the bills, etc.). While sometimes stressful, TTC is very exciting. We giddily talk about our future children – what we are going to name them, all of the activities we want to do with them, what vacations we want to take them one. We discuss how we will tell our families that we are expecting. What emotions we may feel when we first see those two pink lines on a pregnancy test. The first time we see their little heartbeat on the ultrasound.

I know I may be getting a little ahead of ourselves, but being excited and day-dreaming makes this process more special and something that we will try our very best to cherish and enjoy.

Nothing Much to Report...

So, there really isn’t much going on regarding our TTC journey at the moment. I am on CD3 of my Provera-induced AF, so we are just patiently waiting for her to get her ass out of dodge! To be honest, it isn’t THAT bad. I had some cramping last night and I am STARVING, but other than that, I’m good.

So far, my chart looks normal! That’s not to say it won’t be hideous in a week or two or three (who knows with my looooooong cycles), but for now, it’s normal :)



Switching gears, have any fun weekend plans? Not sure what is going on tonight, but I am uber excited for Game 1 of Hawks vs. Canucks tomorrow! I LOVE hockey and I love the Blackhawks. How can you not? It’s shaping up to be an INTENSE series though. There is an intense rivalry between us and the Canucks, much of it stemming from we bounced them from the playoffs last years. Here’s hoping for a repeat performance!

With that, I’ll leave you with a pic of my hockey husband, Kaner. Just don’t tell Dave, hehe!



Catch ya on the flip side!

Sit Back, Relax, and Strap it Down!

Well, hello there.

Are you ready? Ready for what will surely be a rollercoaster ride of emotions, hormones and sex? Yeah? 'Cuz I sure am! But, I'm scared. Scared shitless, in fact. Hmmm, maybe I should invest in some Depends. Just kidding :) Sort of.

Maybe I should start at the beginning, no?

I'm ErmaDerma. Well, my real name is Erin. How I became ErmaDerma is a story for another post :) I'm 27 and have been married to my sexy husband, Dave, for a year and a half now. We've been together for 13 years, but again, that's a story for another post :)



After being married for just 2 short months, I thought I was pregnant. I had been extremely tired, to the point of going to bed at 7:30 every night for a week, and well we were newlyweds. We had been having sex, duh. But I was on the pill, right? No way I could be pregnant. That's what I thought until 2 harmless comments on Facebook turned me into an obsessed woman. I got it through my thick skull that I could actually be pregnant. And I was terrified. Elated, but terrified. We were only married a couple of months. My company had just down some considerable downsizing and nothing was guaranteed. This was a HORRIBLE time to get pg, right?

The more I thought about it, the more I realized I wanted to be pregnant. I wanted to be a mommy. I had the fever. Erin's got the fever, people! (That was just one of the probably many quotes to come from Bring It On. Yes, I'm a nerd. I like that movie. But, I digress.

Dave, on the other hand, wasn't ready. He wanted a different job, wanted to be more financially secure, etc. So when it turned out I wasn't pregnant, he was relieved. I, on the hand, was a little sad. I knew it wasn't the right time to have a baby, but when is? I quickly got over it though. We agreed to wait until Dave found a different job. Life went on....

Until June 2009 when I was diagnosed with PCOS. PCOS is a bitch of a "syndrome" that is highly confusing, but is the leading cause of infertility in women. THE LEADING CAUSE OF INFERTILITY. This is because, most likely, women with PCOS don't ovulate. Um, that's kind of ESSENTIAL TO CONCEIVE. You need sperm and an egg. If I don't ovulate, where the hell do I get that egg, hmm?? Needless to say, I had a mini-breakdown. Still, we weren't ready to try to conceive just yet.

Long story short, we are ready NOW. I stopped taking my birth control, read Taking Charge of Your Fertility, which is an AWESOME book. Seriously, they should teach all girls this stuff in health class. I then signed up on www.fertilityfriend.com, armed with my BBT and started charting. After a cycle from hell that lasted 70 days and had to be ended with Provera, we are on our way to cycle 2! Hopefully this cycle is MUCH shorter than last. I'm not sure if I ovulated at all last cycle, so I ordered some cheap OPKs and will start to record my CM more consistently.

I am fully aware that this could be a very long road, but we are ready!

So, Sit Back, Relax and Strap it Down!

Blog Revamp

So, I have been horrible about updating this blog! 2 whole posts?!

I've decided to revamp this space and turn it into my space to rant, rave, vent, update on our TTC process. My hubby and I have decided we want a baby. And we want one soon. We can't start to try yet, but given my health issues (PCOS), we decided it would be good to finally ditch the hormonal birth control and start to chart ovulation now so that we are good to go when we want to start TTC.

I'll be posting about me fumbling through temping and charting and will probably include a glossary or sorts so that 1) I won't have to type e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g out and 2) y'all can understand what the heck DH, KTFU, and FF mean!

Catch ya on the flip side!